Improved centrifugal sugar-draining machine



2 Sheets Sheet 2.

H. Vf". &'R. LAFFERTY. Centrifugal Sugar- Machine.

Patented Aug. I6, 1870.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

IIUGII V. LAFFERTY AND ROBERT LAFFERTY, 0F GLOUCESTER, N. 'J.

IMPROVED CENTRIFUGAL SUGAR-DRAINING MACHINE.

Specilication ibrmng part of Letters Patent No. 106,491, dated- August1G, 1870 antcdai'ed August 5, A1870.

tion of Machines for Draining Moisture from Sugar and other articles.

Our invention relates to the suspension of the vertical spindle carryingthe drum or basket of a centrifugal machine upon a lever or othermovable support, which may be combined with the casing thereof, wherebywe produce, at pleasure, a movement of the spindle in the line of itsaxis; and in the combination,with said spindle, first, of a suitablefriction-surface, to bear against a counterpart ixed surface in thecasing of the machine, to serve as a brake; and, second, ofa'frictionclutch to engage a friction-pulley connected with the motivepower of the machine, said brakes and pulleys being so arranged as thatby vertical movementof the spindle the brakes may be removed or appliedand the frictionpulley driving the spindle be simultaneously connectedor disconnected.

It relates, also, to the combination of a slid- 4ing frame carryingidle-pulleys for tightening the driving-belt with the lever operatingthe spindle, in such manner that the movement to disen gage the driving-pulley from thel spindle will simultaneously relieve the belt fromextreme tension 5 also, to the interposition of a connecting-sleeve, andof an elastic packing between the spindle and the friction-clutch, topermit a vibration or play of thespindle independently of thefriction-pulley; and, also, in certain minor devices for facilitatingthe operations of these prominent features of our invention, ashereinafter fully set forth.

The object attained by theseimprovements is the production of a compactcomplete centrifugal draining-machine, so constructed as that, whenfinished, ready for transportation, it is ready for immediate use uponbeing secured in position, Without requiring any fitting up other thanthe mere connection of a driving-belt to the pulley, and which shallalso be free from' jar or vibration, quick in its action, and under thereadycont-rol of a single operator.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing is an elevation of our improvedmachine, with the eccentric controlling the machine illustrated insection. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section in the line :u :v of Fig.illustrating all the parts of ourmachine. Figs, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 aredetached views, partly in section, of various parts of our machine.

XVe use in our improved machines an outer casing, A, diiering in noessential particular from the casings of thecrdinarymachines now' inuse, although we do not require brick foulidations for its security, butare enabled, from the improved construction of the machine, to place itand operate it upon an ordinary solid iioorin g.

B, Fig. 2, is the bottom of the casing, provided, as usual, with anelevated central open cone, B', through which the spindle carrying thedrum or basket projects from below, and made to slope or inclineradially from the central cone, B', to the outer sides of the casing, asshown in Fig. 2.

C, Fig. 1, is a suitable spout, through which the liquids ejected fromthe drum are discharged from the casin g.

D, Fig. 2, is the vertical spindle carrying the drum or basket of themachine. This spindle is supported at its lower end by a centerpoint, e,which rests and revolves in or upon a steel step, E, Figs. 2 and 3,resting in a block, G, placed upon or supported by a lever, F, pivotedto a fulcrum-block, H, secured upon a stout cross-bar, which is attachedto the feet of the casing A, so as to rest upon the iioorbetween them,as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The lever F is made to pass through a slot, f, Fig. 3, in the step-blockG, so that said block has suiicient play on the lever to adJust itselfto the vertical bearing ofthe spindle in any position of the lever.

The spindle D, extending vertically from its pivot-point at E, passes upthrough the enlarged aperture in the cone-center B of the bottom B ofthe casing A, and is steadicd by means of a metallic journal-box orbushing, l', placed near or at the upper extremity of said cone-center,and incased or encircled by aV thick washer or packing, K, ofindia-rubber, 0rother elastic material, wide enough to extend iuto anannular recess or seat formed therefor within said cone B', as fullyillustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. This journalbox or bushing I issupported by means of a fiange, k, extending out horizontally from itsupper rim, over and beyond the elastic washer K, so as to rest upon theupper end of the cone B', and this iiange is bent up, as shown in Fig.2, to form a cup to receive and retain the oil required to lubricate thebearing of thc spindle in said box I.

An aperture or groove, 1'., is formed to extend down from the upper endofthe spindle to the cup k, for the purpose of feeding Vthe same withoil.

By means of the elastic packing K' of the upperl bearing of the spindlethe lateral or vibratory motion produced by the rapid revolution of' thedrum when loaded is counteracted and dissipated, so that it is notcommunicated to the outer casing, A and while said packing operates toretain the spindle and drum in a true vertical position, it permits alsosuch an eccentricity of movement t-herein as to prevent all ja-rring ofthe casing in starting the machine.

L, Fig. 2, is a short hollow shaft encircling the spindle C beneath thecasing A. This hollow shaft is provided with a flange labout its upperend, by means whereof it is firmly bolted and secured to the bottoni ofthe casin g in such manner as to form a continuation of the opening inthe cone-center thereof. Its diameter, however, is so much less thanthat of said opening as that it forms an annular offset, a., about thelower end ofsaid opening, and this offset is grooved, so as to form achannel to collect the oil, which, passing down the spindle from itsbearing in the box I, is thrown off' therefrom by centrifugal forceagainst the sides of of said openin g.

M is the hub, and M' the rim, of a cone friction-pulley fitted torevolve freely upon the fixed hollow shaft L. This pulley bears upagainst a shoulder, l, formed about the shaft, near its upper end, asshown in the drawing, and is upheld against it, so as to have nolongitudinal play on the shaft, by means of' a cupshaped nut, fm,screwing onto the lower end of the shaft and embracing the lower end ofthe hub M.

Apertures are pierced to extend from the groove in the annular offset ato the shoulder l, so that the oil collected in said groove shall beconducted to the outer surface of the shaft, tolubricate the bearing ofthe pulleyM thereon. The projecting rim M' of the pulley is formedexteriorly to receive the belt communicating motion from a main driving-shaft, and is fitted interiorly with a conical seat, to receive acounterpart conical clutch, N, secured to the spindle C below the hollowshaft L, and projecting upward to inclose the same and pass within thepulley M, as illustrated in Fig. 2 ofthe drawing. This clutch N of' thefrictionpulley is not secured directly to the spindle.

A metallic sleeve, O, provided` with au. annular fia-nge, n, about itsupper rim, is first slipped onto the spindle, and secured, so as not toturn thereon, by means of' a feather ory pin projecting from its innersurface into a straight longitudinal groove cut in the spindle. Thissleeve is encircled below its fiange a by a thick elastic washer, P, ofla thickness not quite equal to the width of' the flange, and the hub of'the clutch N is slipped upon this washer against the projecting rim of'the flange a, and

the whole secured and upheld in pla-ce by an z annular nut, Q, screwingupon a thread cut upon the spindle C, as shown in Fig. 2. The

Yciments Vprevented.from turning 1111011 the washer I? or its sleeve O4by means of' tongues projecting from the flange a of the sleeve 0fitting into counterpart recesses in the upper face of its hub, asillustrated in Fig. 7.

By means of the interposed elastic washer I, any jar or tremulous motionof the clutch is dissipated without affecting the spindle, while theclutch and pulley are also protected from the effects of any suddenlateral motion of the spindle, leaving it free to move eccentrically,independent thereof, while receiving motion therefrom.

The clutch N is brought into close con tact with the friction-pulley M,so as to engage the same and be carried thereby, by an upward movementof the spindle, and is disengaged by lowering the same.

It will be observed that, by removing the annular nut Q, the spindle maybe lifted out entirely clear from the machine, and that the conicalclutch N of the pulley M may be thus released and withdrawn whenrequired.

It is the drum or basket of our machine, of the corrugated form patentedby us March 23, 1869. The bottom R' thereof is made, as usual, with anupwardly-projecting conical center, through which the spindle passes,and which, resting upon a shoulder, s, formed on the spindle, just aboveits upper bearing I, is firmly secured and united thereto by means of anut,

S, screwing down thereon upon the upper end Aof the spindle.

The under side of' the bottom R' of the casing is so formed as to be thecounterpart of the upper suface of the bottom B B' of' the casingbeneath, so that the two, when brought together, shall closelyapproximate and fit one upon the other, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The approximation of these two surfaces serves to produce the frictionrequired to retard and stop the revolution of the spindle and drum ofour machine, this approximation being obtained by lowering the spindleand its attached drum so far as may be required.

To perfect the brake we insert one or more strips or blocks, T T, Figs.2 and 4, of hard wood or other suitable material, into dovetailedgrooves, formed either in the upper face ofthe center cone, B', ofthebottom of' the casing, (see Figs. 2 and 4,) or in the under side ofthe counterpart conical central recess in the bottom R' of the drum, sothat, when the drum is lowered by dropping the spindle, its weight,together with that of its contents,

into closest contact with its pulley main line of shaf bearing uponthese strips, will produce such friction as shall speedily retard andarrest its revolutions.

Although we prefer to make the bottom of the drum or basket serve as abrake, it is evident that any other surface .secured to the spindle soas to revolve with it, which may be brought by a vertical movement ofthe spindle into contact with a counterpart fixed sur-` face, willsubserve the same end.

As the brake and the friction-clutch are both fixed to the spindle, itis evident that the lowering of the spindle to disengage the clutch fromthe driving-pulley will simultaneously bring the brake into operation,and, contrariwise, the release of the brake will be simultaneous withthe connection of the spindle to its motive power.

To place the movements of the spindle and drum under ready control andfacilitate the starting and stopping of lthe machines, the

lever F, upon wllich the spindle D is stepped` and pivoted, isconnected, by means of a bent arm, U, and an adjustable extensible link,u, with a canlor eccentric wheel, V, Fig. 6, sccured to the side of thecasing, within easy reach of the operator.

The adjustment of the lever and link with this eccentric is so made asthat, whenthe eecentric V is turned to its /point of greatestecccntricity, the spindle C is elevated to its highest point and thefriction-clutchN brought M, and by reversing it the spindle will belowered, the

clutch disengaged, and the brakes brought.

into operation. As, by raising the spindle to .its highest point andforcing the clutch into closest contact with the driving-pulley M, the

pulley is forced upon its shaft with undue pressure against the oset orshoulder l, which limits its play upon said shaft, we contemplate soplacing' the stop limiting the revolution of the eccentric V' as that,after it shall have reached its extreme' or dead point and forced up thespindle to the utmost, it may pass beyond it slightly, andthus allow thespindle to drop .back sufliciently to relieve the drivingpulley frompressure without disengaging its clutch.

rlhe pulley M of the spindle D of our machine is driven by a singlebelt, W, from the ting, instead of by a countershaft and two belts, asin other styles of centrifugal machines. This belt is alternatelytightened orloosened, as the machine is started or stopped, by means ofidle-pulleys Y Y, Figs. 5 and 2, placed in a frame, X, made to slidehorizontally in ways 0:1 arms or brackets secured to the casing ofthemachine at a point immediately opposite to the eccentric operating thelever. This frame X is connected by a horizontal adjustable extensiblerod or link, IL, to an upwardly-bent arm, F', of the lever, on the sideof its fulcrum H remote from that on which the spindle rests, as fullyillustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, so that the movement of the leverto lower the spindle in stopping the machine will draw the frame Xinward toward the driving-pulley, and thus loosen the belt passing overthe idle-pulleys 1n ultaneously raises the spindle D, forces thefriction-clutch N into contact with the frictionpulley M, forces out thesliding frame X earrying the idle-pulleys Y Y, thereby tightening thedriving-belt lV, and lifts the drum lt R from its contact with thecone-center B of the casing lk, relieving the brake formed thereby.

The movement ofthe eccentric V to accomplish these results is producedwith great ease, requiring very little expenditure of ph ysical force,an d the entire machine is thus readily amLea-sily controlled byreversing or turning the handle of the eccentric in one direction or theother.

In this machine the drivin g-belt cannot pull the spindle to one side,causing an unequal wear of its bearings, as in the old styles ofcentrifugal machines, for there is no strain whatever from the belt uponsaid spindle, the A strain being exerted and resisted wholly by theindependent-fixed hollow shaft L, on which the driving-pulley runs.

It is to be understood that while the niachine is stopped thedriving-belt does not drag over the surface of the pulley lll, but thatthere is always sufficient tension thereon to keep the pulley running,so that, although the belt is relieved from strain, it is not damaged byfriction thereon. y

The proper degree of tension upon the belt may be at all times quicklyadjusted without having to take up its length by lengthening orshortening the screw, adjusting-rod, or link h.. So, also, theadjusting-screw u in the link of the opposite arm U of the lever enablesthe operator to adjust the contact of the frictionsurface of the brakeas may be found desirable by controlling the extent to which the spindleD shall be elevated or depressed.

As the eccentric controlling the movements of the spindle and thebrackets carrying the idle-pulleys over which the drivin g-belt passesare secured to the casing of the machine, and the spindle itself'receives its support wholl y from said casin g, the entire machine isnot only compact and portable, but complete in itself.

The facility with which the drum and spindle can be detached and removedand all other parts reached for repair is an important point inconsidering the advantages ofour machine.

We claim as our invention--v 1. suspending the vertical spindle carryingthe drum or basket of a centrifugal drainingmachine upon a movablesupport, to obtain a movement of the spindle in the line of its. axissubstantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination, ina centrifugal machine,

l able spindle D, carrying; the drum or basket oi" a centrifugalmachine, in combination with a friction-pulley, M, revolving` upon aiixed hollow shat't encircling' said spindle, but wholly disconnectedtherefrom, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein setforth.

4. The combination of the annular cupshaped nut with the lower endl ofthe xed hollow shaft L, and of the frictioitpulley M, substantially inthe manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

5. The combination of the friction-clutch N ofthe pulley M with thespindle D, by means of an interposed sleeve, in such manner as that,while neither can revolve independently ofthe other, either may vibrateor have slight lateral lnotion without communicatingthe same to theother, substantially as herein set forth.

(i. An elastic. washer or packing' interposed between the spindle D andfriction-clutch N of a centrifugal machine, substantially in the mannerand for the purpose herein set forth.

7. A lever, F, in combination with the spin- (lle D of a centrifugalmachine, substantially as herein set forth.

S. rlhe combination of an eccentric, V, with the lever F, carrying thespindle D of a centrifugal machine, substantially as herein setforth.

9. The combination of a movable frame, X, carrying the idle-pulleys Y Y,with the lever F Ff, supporting the spindle l) of a centrifugal machine,substantially as herein set forth.

10. Extensible links interposed between the arms of the lever F and itseccentric on one side and the sliding frame X on the other,substantially as herein described.

In testimony 'whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

HUGH lV. LAFFEPJIY. ROBERT LAFFERTY.

i Witnesses: l

PETER M. ADAMS, Josemi MCAD/mrs.

